Bernalillo County is hosting the Soul, Science and Culture of HOPE, a 2.5-hour event exploring how communities can help youth succeed with hope, on Wednesday, February 13 from 1 to 6 p.m. at the South Valley Multipurpose Senior Center, 2008 Larrazolo Road SW.

The event includes a networking opportunity and a discussion about the culture of hope, and how families, schools and youth-organizations can use hope for the success of all children.

The Soul, Science and Culture of HOPE is presented by Antwone Fisher and Rick Miller. Fisher is an author and the inspiration behind the movie Antwone Fisher starring Denzel Washington. Miller is the cofounder of the Center for the Advanced Study and Practice of HOPE, the founder of Kids at Hope and a professor at Arizona State University.

The event will explore Antwone Fisher’s journey of hope through his writings and film and how those themes relate to the science and opportunities hope provides.

Admission is free for the Soul, Science and Culture of HOPE. For more information, please contact Joelle Jacobs at jjacobs@bernco.gov.

In collaboration with Bernalillo County, the City of Albuquerque Department of Family & Community Services, local high school students and a wide array of community partners, New Day Youth and Family Services will open Bernalillo County’s first – and only – drop-in center focused on mental/behavioral health support and prevention. Media are invited to the Open House and Press Conference on January 14th, 2019 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Named by young people, Youth BLAST (“Building Lives Around Self Truth”) will provide multiple avenues to support belonging and building community for young people, ages 16-22, who are seeking a sense of connection and who may lack supportive, positive peers and adult role models. Connection and belonging are vital developmental needs for young people’s positive mental and behavioral health and for their meaningful integration into community.

The Youth BLAST Drop-In Center is a collaborative partnership with more than 14 nonprofit agencies, local alternative charter high school students, Bernalillo County’s Behavioral Health Initiative and the City of Albuquerque.

Together, these groups will provide comprehensive, holistic services with a focus on developing community and a safe, inclusive space for youth to experience belonging. Young people will design and implement leadership groups and outreach activities, with paid Peer Advocates receiving training to support young people with mental/behavioral health needs. Youth BLAST will also offer services and supports, such as legal, academic and employment coaching, physical health screenings, mental/behavioral health support, crisis intervention and more. Youth BLAST will collect and distribute food, clothing and hygiene products for basic needs as well as school supplies.

“Our city’s teens and youth are extremely vulnerable if they don’t have a safe place to live or even to just spend time when they are out of school and no one is home,” said Steve Johnson New Day Youth and Family Services’ Executive Director. “Plus, Albuquerque has a large number of young people who are not enrolled in school and are not working. We are very interested in connecting with them. And we want to minimize any barriers, so -no paperwork or referrals to enter.”

Youth BLAST will be located at the Johnny Tapia Community Center at Wells Park 500 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, and will be open Wednesdays through Fridays 12 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

All of Youth BLAST’s services are designed to be low-barrier and to reduce reluctance to give out personal information while providing what young people who may be experiencing homelessness or who are at risk or living in poverty need to survive and to take care of basic health needs. If youth request more information or services New Day will provide referrals and connections to additional services, such as shelter, housing, school re-entry, counseling, medical care, etc.

“[Young people experiencing homelessness or a mental health condition] are extremely vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, and yet, they are often turned away from every agency that could help them,” said Bette Fleishman, Executive Director at Pegasus Legal Services for Children, one of the 14 agencies partnering on Youth BLAST to provide for as many needs as possible under one roof. “These youth are in a legal limbo – they cannot get help without identity documents, but they cannot get identity documents without help. Albuquerque needs a place these youth can go with no conditions or pre-requisites; a place that welcomes them with open arms as they are, builds their trust, and offers help when and how the youth request it."

“Youth BLAST is really about being a place that feels safe and inclusive for youth, with no requirements, where they can come, be seen and accepted for who they are, authentically feel a sense of belonging, establish positive connections with others, and opportunities for them to thrive” said Ali Moore, New Day’s Youth BLAST Drop-In Center Director. “We’re going to keep it low-barrier, so that young people who may be distrustful of adults and of ‘programs’ feel more comfortable getting the things they need, no strings attached. And, if they ask and desire it, we’ll refer them to other services that they need – but only when they ask and are ready.”

Bernalillo County, NM- For some people who are experiencing homelessness, being placed in housing (known as “Scattered Site”) that is separate from supportive services simply does not work. That’s why Bernalillo County is set to rollout a new housing program utilizing the Single-Site Supportive Housing model. This creates a community and network of services alongside housing to better serve individuals and their family members who need additional, nearby support. Approximately 40-60 housing units will be available with on-site support services to include case manage. Up to 30 of the Housing Vouchers will be for Veterans and will be provided by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD].

The Single-Site Housing plan will serve veterans, individuals, and their family members with significant behavioral health challenges who are homeless or precariously housed. It’s designed to promote family reunification, stability and recovery.

“Housing is one of the very first steps towards stability, it literally provides a stable home base. Being able to recover in the place you call home, having access to services in a place where you feel safe and being surrounded by your loved ones, all of these characteristics of a single-site housing program contribute to recovery, success, and wellness,” said Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley.

County Manager Julie Morgas Baca echoed the significance of this project, “I know our Commissioners are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to vote on this project, because this is Bernalillo County stepping-up our housing program to include our veterans. It is important to provide a variety of housing programs to accommodate the varying needs of our community. With the launch of this program we’ll be filling a void, reducing homelessness, improving quality of life, reuniting families, and better serving our veterans.”

As is the case with all the Behavioral Health Initiative programs, best-practices and evidence-based data were utilized to prioritize this program. Studies have shown that greater time spent in a single- site is associated with reduced use of services that are publicly funded and improved health outcomes. Research also suggests that populations with higher levels of need have better outcomes in single-site facilities where more services are provided on site and support is built into the structure of their living environment.

This program proposal will go before the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Governing Commission and the Bernalillo County Commission for a vote with a request to fund the program for $1 M/yr and a one-time, capital investment of up to $8 M to secure, build, or remodel the campus location.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - It's a new program aimed at putting an end to petty crimes by people who suffer from drug abuse and mental illness. It's also supposed to help put these people back on the road to recovery so they don't offend again.

Bernalillo County commissioners recently approved bringing the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program, or 'LEAD,' to the area. The idea is to give some people the option to either get help or go to jail.

"If we don't address the root causes of what's driving people's criminal behavior, they're going to continue to cycle in and out of our jail," says Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins. Hart Stebbins says a lot of the criminal behavior throughout the county comes from people who suffer from drug abuse or mental illness.

She's hoping LEAD will help stop some of the crime. "For some people if they're committing a property crime to feed an addiction, they have the option of getting into treatment," says Hart Stebbins. LEAD was approved by the commission earlier this week with a $250,000 price tag.

The county will work with APD, BCSO, MDC, the DA's Office, and public defenders. So far, APD is embracing the idea. "Police interact with them on a daily basis, and I think it makes sense to get them the services they need rather than to lock them up," says Gilbert Gallegos with APD. Police say sending people with drug or mental health issues to jail doesn't help them overcome their struggles. "So if they get those services, they're most more likely to find employment and homes," says Gallegos.

The program has already been successfully implemented in Santa Fe and Seattle. Commissioner Hart Stebbins says those two cities were the biggest inspirations to kick start LEAD in Bernalillo County. "We learn a lot from Seattle, from Santa Fe, from some of the communities where this is functioning. That's what we want to do. Not recreate the wheel, but learn from others. What works, what doesn't. How can we be successful here," she says.

A majority of that $250,000 will go towards hiring case managers to work with the people entering into the program. The county hopes to hire at least four case managers. County Commissioners still need to identify what crimes are considered 'non-violent.' The hope is to have this program up and running by July 2019.

Bernalillo County Behavioral Health Initiative Receives $1.4 Million for CONNECT Program

Partnership with UNM-Health Sciences Center provides critical interventions for youth at risk for psychosis in Bernalillo County

Bernalillo County, NM- This week officials with Bernalillo County received notice from the U.S. Department of Health’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that the county has been awarded a $1.6 million grant to fund Community Programs for Outreach and Intervention with Youth and Young Adults at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis over a four-year period. The new program, called CONNECT (Collaborative Interdisciplinary Evaluation and Community Based Treatment), is part of the Bernalillo County Behavioral Health Initiative (BHI) and will be located at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNM HSC), with BHI acting as the fiscal agent for the project. It’s an example of one of the many ways the BHI has leveraged dollars to expand services utilizing funding that is not coming from Behavioral Health tax dollars.

Bernalillo County submitted an application for the grant, through a competitive process, and was one of only a couple of dozen entities selected to receive the funding. CONNECT will serve youth 12 to 25 years old who are experiencing worrisome changes in their thoughts, experiences or feelings, which may indicate an increased risk of developing a serious mental health disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Participants will be identified based upon a comprehensive assessment and will be offered up to two years of treatment, which will include an individually tailored combination of mental health education, access to medication, group or family psychotherapy, case management services and educational and vocational assistance. The team of service providers working with youth participants will include peer specialists with first-hand experience facing mental health issues and navigating recovery. CONNECT will incorporate other UNM HSC and Bernalillo County community-based programs to provide a comprehensive matrix of services.

“Identifying serious mental health issues and providing access to services while individuals experiencing these challenges are still young can be key to mitigating more significant, long term negative impacts,” said Katrina Hotrum-Lopez, director of BHI for Bernalillo County. “In working with the experts at UNM Health Sciences Center, we are extremely pleased to be the beneficiaries of such a significant grant award, which will allow us to improve the quality of life for thousands of young people coping with mental illness in our community.”

Dr. Roshel Lenroot, the Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Research at UNM HSC echoed those sentiments, acknowledging the value of the award and partnership. “Bernalillo County’s CONNECT program will allow us to reach a great number of young people in our community who are at high risk for or who are already experiencing psychosis and provide them the tools they require to navigate the challenges of serious mental illness. As with other BHI initiatives, CONNECT and the significant resources associated with the program, provides a highly effective mechanism for delivering quality, coordinated care to those in need in Bernalillo County.”

BHI Creates Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program to Reduce Recidivism Among Low-Level Offenders

Multi-agency LEAD collaboration will help non-violent individuals receive much needed services to improve outcomes and prevent future offenses

Bernalillo County, NM- This week officials with the Bernalillo County Behavioral Health Initiative (BHI) announced the county is receiving $50,000 from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Innovation Fund to pursue an evidence-based program which employs diversion strategies for individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) or serious mental illness (SMI) who cycle in and out of the justice system for low level crimes. The Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program proposes interventions for low-level offenses for individuals who struggle with SUD and/or SMI, which will in turn reduce recidivism among this population resulting in lower crime and fewer emergency room visits. Beyond the recognized benefit to the individuals who will receive medical and recovery services, the program will lower costs to the community and allow the justice system to focus on serious offenders.

LEAD effort represents a collaboration among several justice system partners including the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office (DA), and the Public Defender. diversion approach will focus on low-level drug offenses and property crimes, prostitution and activities such as trespassing, loitering and vagrancy, for which individuals will be screened for substance use disorders and serious mental illness. When SUD or SMI are identified, law enforcement personnel will consult with the DA’s office seeking consent to divert rather than arrest, and if there is consensus, then coordinate with a case manager who will determine the best diversion options for the individual. Funds will be utilized to support case management services. Case managers will work with MATS to engage the individual in detox, supportive after care and inebriate intervention programs as well as inpatient substance abuse treatment services. first phase of the LEAD program will be piloted out of Albuquerque’s SE Area Command, where APD Officers will use LEAD strategies to incorporate a diversion approach for low level offenders.

Individuals served by the LEAD program who are struggling with drug abuse disorders and/or mental illness, will receive ongoing health and social services support in order to break the cycle of recidivism and achieve a better quality of life. Other targeted outcomes for both individuals and the community include improved housing retention, increased access to preventative medical and behavioral health services, enhanced education and employment opportunities and reduced costs to the criminal justice and medical systems. Case studies of other cities which have LEAD programs demonstrate significant savings to the system, as well as reduction in recidivism. Incorporating similar techniques, Boulder, Colorado’s program has realized approximately $3 million in savings annually in jail and emergency department costs.

“The Bernalillo County LEAD program is reflective of a system-wide commitment to improving outcomes and reducing harm for individuals struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues in our community, with the added long-term benefit of reducing crime,” said Katrina Hotrum-Lopez, Director of Bernalillo County BHI. “When we work together to leverage resources and reduce harm, the positive implications for improved quality of life for our residents is tremendous.”

“Together with Bernalillo County, the Albuquerque Police Department has increased its focus on strategies to end the cycle of repeat offenders returning to the community to commit additional crimes. This program does so in a compassionate way, that provides help for individuals whose low-level crimes are often fueled by mental illness or substance abuse and addiction. We are proud to be a partner in this effort,” said Deputy Chief Eric Garcia.

“There is growing demand for criminal justice reform across the country, and local jurisdictions are leading the way,” said Laurie Garduque, MacArthur’s Director of Justice Reform. “MacArthur is increasing our investment in local just reform innovations because we are seeing promising results and an appetite for more reform as evidenced by the diversity and creativity of the solutions implemented and tested across the Network.”

Bernalillo County was one of 12 jurisdictions to receive grants from the Innovation Fund to design and test innovative criminal justice reforms. According to its mission, the MacArthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world.

Bernalillo County Partners with Health Council to Prevent Opioid Overdose Deaths

New Agreement Will Expand Access to Live-Saving Resources

Bernalillo County, NM- Last week officials with the Bernalillo County Department of Behavioral Health (DBHS) entered into an agreement with the Bernalillo County Community Health Council (BCCHC) which will increase access to life-saving Narcan medication in order to reduce deaths from opioid overdoses in Bernalillo County.

As part of the agreement, DBHS is now a community distribution site for Narcan through the BCCHC, beginning with 50 Narcan kits to be provided to the department by the health council, with additional kits provided on an ongoing basis. Training to administer Narcan will be provided by the council to DBHS service providers who work with individuals struggling with substance abuse and addiction. In addition to critical opioid overdose prevention education, upon discharge Narcan kits will be made available upon request to all clients who receive services for opioid addiction through DBHS, to include training on proper administration of the medication. Community members in need may also request Narcan kits from BCDH.

From 2013 to 2015, 374 people died from opioid overdoses in Bernalillo County, according to the Bernalillo County Community Health Council. When administered timely and properly, Narcan counteracts the life-threatening effects of opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist and can reverse the effects of opioids by restoring normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of overdose by heroin or prescription opioid pain medications.

“The Department of Behavioral Health works proactively to prevent and treat substance abuse issues in Bernalillo County, however we know that opioids are a particularly insidious drug, with a high incidence of fatal overdose,” said Katrina Hotrum-Lopez, Director of DBHS. “Our partnership with the Bernalillo County Community Health Council continues to prove invaluable, and we are grateful for the life-saving services and resources they provide in our community.”

More Than $600,000 Committed to Support Bernalillo County in Reducing the Number of People in Jail with Mental Illness

Funds will develop program featuring peer support case managers to connect individuals to services as they exit incarceration

Bernalillo County, NM- Bernalillo County officials are pleased to announce that the Department of Behavioral Health Services (DBHS) is the recipient of a Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs for over $488,000. The federal grant will be partially matched at the local level resulting in almost $612,000 in additional funds over a two-year period. Bernalillo County was one of just 11 jurisdictions from around the country selected for this highly competitive federal award.

The grant includes technical assistance from national experts in jail re-entry programs to support collaboration and program development. Part of the grant funding will support providing case management services to individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders or co-occurring disorders who currently face numerous and difficult obstacles connecting to needed services when transitioning back to community from jail. Individuals who meet the screening criteria will be eligible to receive assistance from a case manager who will help ensure the client makes successful connections to community-based services that address immediate needs.

Currently upon release, community health workers at the Reentry Resource Center (RRC), which came online this past June, help recently-released individuals with basic needs, employment and education resources, shelter and referrals to community-based treatment, counseling and medical services. This grant will enhance case management activities already occurring by targeting “connecting” services towards those exiting individuals identified at MDC as needing more intensive support during transition to be successful and reduce their chances of returning to jail. The program will feature peer support community health workers with lived experience, which is shown to be an effective best practice. As many as 7,000 individuals exiting the jail a year could be eligible for services based on MDC’s history of those incarcerated who utilize psychiatric services.

“Our Resource Re-entry Center is filling a major gap in the behavioral health system. Now, with this new funding, we’ll be able to build an additional layer of support- from people who have first-hand experience and can empathize with the individuals coming through the RRC,” said County Manager Julie Morgas Baca.

JMHCP grants emphasize cross-agency, cross-system collaborations that span criminal justice and mental health systems with the specific aim of developing evidence-based solutions that reduce the number of individuals with mental illness in county jails. Partners in the program will include many of the core members of the Bernalillo County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council which is made up of the District Court, Metropolitan Court, District Attorney, Public Defender, Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, just to name a few. The program will also collaborate closely with UNM Health Sciences and other divisions within UNM.

“Men and women leaving our jail with mental illness or co-occurring disorders face a number of barriers and complications navigating, on their own, the services they need to manage their disease and keep from being arrested again,” said Katrina Hotrum-Lopez, director of BHI for Bernalillo County. “The county is committed to working with these individuals to help them connect to the things they most need following time in jail. Communities that do this effectively save public dollars within health and criminal justice systems and improve public safety.”

Having a peer help people navigate their recovery and mental stability can be the key to lasting success. According to a study done in 2011 by the University of Texas, “43% of Community Centers indicated the most significant benefit is peer specialists being able to connect consumers with service and offering them hope; 35% indicated that promoting recovery was the most significant benefit.”

New Mexico has higher rates of mental illness than the national average. The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates two out of 10 adults experienced a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder in the past year. SAMHSA also considers peer support a best practice.

These statistics and best practices have prompted Bernalillo County’s Behavioral Health Initiative to create Peer Drop-In Centers throughout Bernalillo County. Today, Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins and Bernalillo County Manager Julie Morgas Baca announced the $300,000 in contracts, the plans, and the providers, New Day and Albuquerque Center for Hope and Recovery [ACHR].

“An informal survey a few years ago showed that Bernalillo County residents living with mental illness identified peer support services as a very high priority. Yet such services have been difficult to access here in our community,” said Commissioner Hart Stebbins. “These new Drop-In Centers will fill that gap with trained peer specialists who use their lived experience to support others in recovery by offering navigation, education and, most importantly, hope to people living with mental health challenges.”

New Day and ACHR are reviewing their real estate options to create the Centers. ACHR is hoping to locate one on the west side and in the South Valley of Bernalillo County. The City of Albuquerque will be providing space for the drop-in center that New Day will be running at the Johnny Tapia Community Center.

Peer-to-peer recovery services like building on or rebuilding social skills, education and training, vocational training, and job placement providing resources to help individuals with their personal recovery journey. The Centers also act as a place where peers can interact with one another and form a sense community.

Available resources can include information on how to negotiate insurance barriers to treatment, outreach to families and individuals, connecting them to behavioral health services, treatment, and education.

The services will be provided by certified peer advocates, peer support workers, certified peer specialists, recovery coaches, volunteers and other staff to support peers and families, both individually and in small groups.

This announcement appropriately comes in the middle of September, national recovery and suicide awareness month.

Together, Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque are strategically leveraging resources and making decisions with community member and stakeholder inputs through the Behavioral Health Initiative. This endeavor creates a model for improving behavioral health outcomes that could be replicated across the country. For more information about BHI click here.